Our Work

Early Childhood Ireland

Our mission is to inspire and enable members to provide quality experiences for young children and their families in their settings.

Our Work

Education and Training

We offer a comprehensive range of childcare training and education programmes, catering for a diverse range of learners and aiming to equip them with the core skills and knowledge relevant to the early childhood sector.

Operating a Childcare Setting

In this section we aim to assist you in the day to day running of a childcare setting by providing you with all the necessary information you may need; from requirements for inspections to timely updates on funding schemes.

Quality in Practice

Early Childhood Ireland’s focus on practice is about both improving everyday practice and learning from everyday practice, in early childhood care and education settings.

National Pyjama Day

National Pyjama Day is the largest one-day fundraising event organised by the early childhood care and education sector in Ireland. Now in its 15th year, the event has raised more than €2.75 million for charities that support children with additional needs.

Information for Parents

Parents are the most important teachers in those early years but they don’t have to do all the work alone. In this section we provide parents with information and resources to help them recognise quality in Early Years provision and choose the right option for their child.

Advocacy

As Ireland’s leading representative organisation of early years care and education, Early Childhood Ireland provides its membership with advocacy services to better shape the systems, policies and practices that impact on the lives of young children.

Research

We undertake high quality, rigorous research and evaluation to inform policy and practice across the childcare sector. We work from an evidence-based and child-centered perspective to influence policy and practice development, building capacity through methodological innovation.